Reach: Rebirth
by Wolfbane000
Summary: Reach is burning. The majority of the U.N.S.C. fleet has been destroyed. Is there any hope left?
1. Chapter 1

**Reach: Rebirth**

Chapter One: Rest and Repair

Epsilon Eridani System

Reach

August 30th, 2552

16:37 zulu time

A half-dozen elites lay dead in a bone-dry shipyard. In the middle, an elite zealot stood over a spartan, sword hand posed for the finishing blow. The spartan had given all the fight he had and made a heroic last stand. But now, he was out of fight. He accepted his fate.

The elite let out a roar. "This is it" Noble 6 thought "After everything i've been through, this is where I die."

A burst of 5.56 rung out. The elite staggered backwards and fell to the ground. His shields had already been down from when the spartan kicked him, so the rounds tore right through his chest. Noble 6 lays his head back on the ground and lets out a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright, Sir?" A soldier runs to his side.

"Energy sword. Left bicep. Too close to the chest for a tourniquet" The spartan replies.

"I'm not a medic, Sir" The soldier says nervously.

"Bio-foam in my left cargo case" The spartan tells him.

The soldier snaps open the hard case and pulls out a cylinder with a tube coming out of one end. He studies it for a second.

"Stick the tube in the wound and squeeze the trigger. Just like a grease gun" Noble 6 says impatiently.

"If you say so" The soldier stabs the tube into the wound, causing the spartan to twist and groan. He pulls the trigger and a tan foam bubbles from his wounds.

"That's good" The spartan says. He brushes the soldier off and stands up. It seems the covenant have retreated back their cruiser. It geared up for slipspace and disappeared. Probably after the U.N.S.C. frigate Pillar of Autumn, the spartan presumed. The carrier that he wounded with the MAC gun earlier was limping off in the distance. It was far too damaged for slipspace or to even break atmosphere. It would have to remain on Reach until repairs were made.

"What now?" The soldier asks.

"I have to pay someone a visit."

Back at the MAC cannon, spartan A239 or Noble 4, lay on the ground with an elite on top of him. Noble 6 flips the elite off of him. Much to his surprise, the spartan begins coughing.

"Noble 4!"

"6? I'm glad you made it." Emile wheezes "Did they…?" He doesn't finish before he starts coughing again.

"Yes. The Pillar of Autumn got away" Noble 6 tells him "Soldier, give me the bio-foam!"

"It's all out, Sir" The soldier replies.

The dying spartan grabs Noble 6's arm "It's too late for me. Take my shotgun. Kill as many Covey' bastards as you can with it."

Noble 6 nods.

"Looks like you need another helmet too" Emile removes his helmet and hands it over "Take better care of this one. You know how proud of it I am."

A tear rolls down Noble 6's cheek. "Here's something in return" He pulls out the dog tags of Noble 5. This time, Emile gladly accepts them. They watch the burning covenant carrier disappear in the distance, along with the star in this solar system.

Night covers the sky now. It's been 10 or 15 minutes. Noble 6 glances sideways and notices Emile has finally passed. "You're with the rest of Noble team now" 6 Whispers.

"Sorry for your loss" The soldier says.

"We've all lost something today" The spartan replies.

"Where to now, Sir?"

"We need a ride. We're going to Castle Base" Noble 6 replies.

"I know just the place to find one" The soldier smiles.


	2. Chapter 2

Reach: Rebirth

Chapter Two: Long, Lonely Road

Epsilon Eridani System

Reach

August 30th, 2552

17:43 zulu time

The soldier led the spartan to an underground vehicle bay. Power was out to this section and apparently, the back up generators weren't functioning. Noble 6 had to turn on Emile's helm light when they entered the bay. There were a few mongoose's up front, a half dozen Warthog transports behind them, and in the very back, a couple Warthog's with 50. Cal mounted machine guns.

"In the back" 6 calls out.

"Moving" The soldier responds.

As they move deeper, their lights reveal bodies on the floor. Human bodies but honestly, it was hard to tell. These bodies were smashed to pieces. No plasma marks. 'It must be brutes or hunters' The spartan thought.

"Eyes sharp" 6 orders.

"Roger" The soldier replies.

They made it to the back without making contact but there was definitely something in here with them. 'Probably not brutes. They would have attacked at first sight' 6 thought. He swung his light around but couldn't find anything 'Probably not hunters either. They wouldn't be able to hide in here. Maybe skirmishers? But how would they be able to defile the bodies like that?'

"Turn on those headlights" 6 orders.

"Roger" The soldier moves to the drivers side and flips on the lights. A third of the bay lights up but still nothing.

"Maybe we scared it off?" The soldier says.

There's a loud screeching sound and suddenly one of the transport warthogs is flying down the middle of the bay towards the spartan. Noble 6 dives out of the way just as the hog crashes where he was standing and tumbles into the back wall. 'How does something that big hide in here' The spartan curses to himself. The giant armoured alien was now moving towards him.

"Heads up!" The soldier yells.

6 let loose a few burst from his AR into the gaps in his armour at his neck and stomach. Orange, fluorescent blood sprayed out of its wounds, but it was otherwise unaffected. The spartan juked backwards as the beast swung an arm at him.

"Stand back" The soldier spins up the chaingun and sends a flurry of rounds into the hunter. The beast immediately raises its shielded arm to cover its weak spots. With its other arm, it raises a cannon and points it at the warthog. The tip begins to glow green. Noble 6 closes the gap and slides underneath the hunter. A bubble of plasma appeared from the cannon. The spartan kicks the aliens arm up towards its own face just a ball of plasma erupts from the gun.

The big metal body fell to the floor with a clunk. Its head and some of its chest is completely vaporized.

"That was badass!" The soldier yelled as he jumped down from the chaingun.

"Get that garage door open" The spartans shields began to recharge from the blast.

Since the power was out, he had to use the manual pulley. Moon light flooded into the bay, revealing the battle that had taken place. It was messy.

Noble six jumped in the driver's seat and turned the ignition switch. The engine immediately roared to life. All gauges were in the green.

"Mount up" The spartan ordered.

As soon as the soldier was positioned on the gun, the warthog shot out of the garage. 6 navigated to the dirt road that brought him here. The area was decolate and eerily quiet. The only evidence of war was the countless bodies and burning debris. A soaring mountain stood in the distance. 'Hopefully, Noble 3 is still there' 6 thought. The spartan pressed down harder on the pedal.


End file.
